Typewriting machine



Feb. 3, 1942. J. A. B. SMITH TYPEWRITING MACHINE Filed Dec. 27,1939

INVENTOR JESSE/1.5. 5/1/7/7 w ATTORNEY Patentecl'Feb. 3, 1942 i1 TYBEWRITING MACHINE,

Jesse AQB. Smith, s tamfordjcionni; assignorytof I UnderwoodElliott FisherCompanmiNewYork, N. Y.; a corporation of Delaware I r 1, a

7 A plicat on December 27, 1939', se 311,106

i volaim s adapted especially for typing on cards such as licenses, index or file cards usually bearing a blank printed form for entry of data on the various typingelinesthereof.

Typewriting machines adapted for' writing on I such form cards usually have the platen equipped (Cl; This invention relates to typewriting machines 1 13 e l v thefplaten and carriage of a=typewriter embodying -rthe invention,- portions of the mechanism being; shown; separated or broken away "to: fa;-

with a card-holder by which insertionof; the

card into'a machine is facilitated, andybyqwhich the bottom edge of the card is accurately located on the platen so that each successive card. will assume the same positionin relation to platenrotation-limiting means provided to determine both the card-inserting and thefirst-line-typing positions of the platen. The first line-typing position-determines the position oftheothertyping. lines on the form-in that, during typing,-the card is advanced by the usual line-space-mechanism. Such cardaalthough beingsubstantially uniform in size and corresponding as to the printed form thereon, may have variations in the location of the form which occur in tlieprinting of different batches of cards. Consequently the ci'litate-illustration, and

- Fi-gure-t 2 is f fagmentaryyfront 'elevational I viewof :the. mechanism embodying, they-invention,

the clutch thereof ybeing shown in section'at. a -quarter turn-from the position of- Figure v the physical embodiment of othe -invention illustrated, onlysuch portions of the conventional typewriter as closely .relate tothe invention are shown, whichdnclude the usual platen 6 rotatably' mountedby a :shaft 1 onendmem- ,berst and 90f a platen-carriage, and the usual line space mechanism of which a ratchet wheel Ill is shown, a spring pres'seddetent' I I cooperating with the ratchet wheel' to accurately position typing lines on a new batch of cardsmay be differently located from the bottom edgerof the o card and therefore be vout of registry withLthe actual typing line positions as deterrninedbythe rotation-limiting, means. The typing on the form would therefore be either above orlbelow the actual form lines. t a 7:;

It is one of the objects of this inventiqntofobviate the foregoing difficulties, and toaccordingly provide. simple and easily manipulatable means by which the rotative position -ofthe car-dlocating device or card holder; relative] to .the

platen-rotation-limiting means may bel a djust ed .to accommodate fcards of diiferentbatches;

ied or differently located forms on'the cards:

A further'object of the invention is to. provide a typewriting machine of this character which, notwithstanding its adaptability, especially-z for the typing of printed form .cards, may be easily and quickly convertedfor use as a'conventional typewriter, and may again be quickly conditioned for form card typing at will. v v v 'Other objects and advantages willhereinafter appear. v f' In the drawing,

Figure 1 is a fragmentary persp'ective -viewqof the platen 6 at each ,typing linew 1T0, facilitate insertion of a form cardginto the .machine 'and to accurately,locate-the; card on the platen '6, a- .card holding device 12 is provided, which may be substantially similar to that shownin patenti togLindb-urg 1,600,235; This type of card holder-is, preferred in that-same is read- .ily removable; from the platen to condition the typewriter for conventional use; The card holder l2, comprises anelongate bar- I3vdisposed longitudinally on,the platen and conforming to the periphery h reotx av e a lfea n o t platen a slotted plate 14 straddling the platen hubs and engaging" flat gfacesthereof; to retain the card holder-'-,non-rotatablyon the platen,

spring-pressed hook latches-15 being provided to removably secure the card holde'rin position. In the, present invention, the -hard, holder l2 constitutes card-positioning means and serves to accurately position'a form card J6 on the platen by receiving the lower portion of the "card in, an

elongate recess l 1 in .the bar l3, which presents a shoulder I8 for abutment'ofjthebottom edge e of the card therewith, all in -the well-known manner. v :1

Preferably at the-end 'of theplaten carriage, at which the line-space mechanism and its ratchet wheel I0 isdisposed, theplaten-shaftl, ex-

tending: beyond the carriage :endmember 8,;has a platen knob Mixed to the shaftpadjacent whiclf. the shaft carries a clutch 20. -This clutch is pref; erably of the friction type to "providea'djustment to'a-ny degree desired, for the-purposes hereim after made manifest. v

In the organization of the clutch zfi'illustrated, a disk 2| having ahub 22'secured' to the platen shaft 1, constitutes the driving member of the c1utc'h,,thi s disk being rotated by manual operation of the platen knob l9 through the medium of the shaft 1. The driven member of the clutch is embodied in a clutch drum 23 which has a hub 24 rotatably journaled on the hub 22. The driving and driven members of th clutch, that is, the disk 2| and drum 23, are clutched and slidable on the shaft 1 and cooperating with a pair of clutch arms 21, each of which are flexibly connected to one of the shoes 25'by rollers 28, the arms 21 being fulcrum-ed together on a pin 29 seated in a groove of each arm. The clutch cone 26 is manually operable from a clutch knob 30 by slide rods 3| engaging the cone, as shown in Figure 1, the slide rods passing through the platen knob l9 and having the clutch knob 30 secured to their ends. With the clutch knob 30 pushed inwardly toward the platen,'the clutch cone 26, cooperating with the arms 21, expands the clutch shoes 25, and the clutch drum 20 or driven member is thus clutchedto the driving member or disk 2 I Pulling knob 30 outwardly withdraws the clutch cone 26 from the arms 21 to contract the clutch shoes 25, thereby releasing the clutch drum 23. Although the structure and operation of the friction clutch herein shown has been specifically described, it will be understood that any suitable type of clutch may be employed in carrying out the invention.

The hub 24 of the clutch drum has the linespace ratchet wheel l secured thereto, and the clutch drum 23 has the stop plate 32 detachably mounted thereon, as by screws 33 shown in Figure 2. It will thus be noted that the ratchet wheel I!) and the stop plate 32 are each fixed on, and rotate with, the driven clutch member or drum 23. When the clutch 20 is connected, the ratchet wheel I0 and the stop plate 32 are fixed on the shaft I and therefore rotate in a constant relation with the platen 6. Release of the clutch 20 disconnects the ratchet wheel l0 and the stop plate 32 from the shaft 1 and the platen 6 may therefore be rotated independently of these elements by actuating the platen knob IS. The stop plate 32, cooperating with a normally fixed stop 34, limits rotation of the platen 6 to the angle indicated at X, that is, the angle included between stop shoulders 35 and 36 of the stop plate, less the thickness of stop 34. It may be here noted that the angular position of the stop plate 32 with respect to the line-space ratchet wheel I0 is to be such thatengagement of the stop shoulder 36 with the stop 34 will arrest the platen exactly at a typing line as defined by the line-space detent l l cooperating with the ratchet wheel I0. 7

To render the stop 34 ineffective, as required in converting the machine for conventional use, this stop is swingably mounted so as to be movable out of the path of the stop plate 32. Accordingly, the stop 34 takes the form of a lever having a finger piece at its end and pivoted at 31 on a bracket 38 secured to the carriage end member 8, the swing of the stop lever 34 being limited by a screw 39 thereon cooperating with a slot in the bracket 38. i

The operation of the machine in the feeding and typing of form cards will now be described, with reference to Figure 1 wherein the card I6 is shown having a typical printed form thereon including blank lines upon which certain data is to be typed. In the normal use of the machine to type cards, the clutch is set so that the ratchet wheel I0 and stop plate 32 rotate with the platen 6. Preparatory to inserting the card l-6 into the machine, the platen is rotated to the position shown in Figure 1, defined by the stop shoulder engaging the stop 34, the card holder l2 being thus brought to position at the front of the platen. The card l6 may then be easily placed with its bottom edge inserted into the recess 11 and against the shoulder l8. To begin typing, the platen is rotated backwardly from the card-inserting position until the shoulder 36 of the stop plate engages the stop 34. This brings the first typing line 40 on the card 16 in exact registry with the printing line Z of the machine,

assuming that the angular position of the shoulder I8 of the card holder relative to the stop shoulder 36 has been previously properly adjusted.

In the conventional'typewriter, the position of the typing line Z is indicated by the usual wing scale 4|. The card holder l2, at card-inserting position forward of the platen, will be approximate the wing scale 4|. It will be seen that the distance which the card I6 is to be moved from card-inserting to first-line typing position or vice versa, is represented by the dimension Y which is the actual distance of the first typing line 40 from the printing line Z. The

distance X, which represents the extent of rotation of the platen, is therefore equivalent to the distance Y.

After typing the required data on the first typing line, each succeeding line is brought to typing position in the usual manner, as by operation of the line-space mechanismif the lines on the form card are spaced to agree with the regulator line spacing of th machine determined by the ratchet wheel l0 and detent l I. When the typing of the card is completed, the platen is further rotated in line-spacing direction until same is stopped at card inserting position as previously described, at which position the typed card is readily removed and a new card inserted. The typing of all of the form cards of a certain batch, on which cards the printing form is correspondingly located, is carried out in the same manner.

To compensate for the condition wherein the printed form on the card I6 is differently located from those previously typed, as in starting a new batch of cards, it is necessary to reset the platen to adjust the position of shoulder l8 thereon with respect to the stop plate 32 so that the first typing line 40 on the new card will accurately register at the printing line Z of the machine, this adjustmentbeing done as follows: With the card l6 inserted into the card holder l2 and with the clutch 20 set, the platen 6 is rotated backwardly by turning the platen knob l6 until the shoulder 36 engages stop 34. The first typing line 40 of the card will thus be brought to approximate line typing position. adjacent the printing line Z. The clutch 20 is then released and the platen 6 is thereby rendered free to be rotated independently of the limits effected by the plate 32 and independently of the line-space detent II. It may be here noted that although the clutch 20 is released and the stop plate 32 is thereby disconnected from the shaft, the stop plate shoulder 36 is maintained against the stop "34 by the action of the line-space detent H on the .a 'fa e y V v 3 "3."I n-a typewriting machine having a rotatable I a ratchet wheel Ill. Following release of. theclutch 20, the platen 6 is rotated by knob l9 to bring the first typing line 40 inexact registry with the printing line Z, after which the clutch is again 1 set. The machine is thus conditioned fortyping on all of the cards having a' correspondingly lo,-

cated printed form. After insertion of each succeeding card into themachine, thestop plate 32 will detent the platen to bring the card I6 accurately to first-line typing position by rotating the platen backwardly from card-inserting -position. After completing the typing, further rotation of the platen in line-spacing direction will bring the card holder. [2 in position to withdraw the typed card andinsert a new card. 7 Asaforeindicated, the machine constructed in accordance with the invention" may be readily conditioned for conventional use by removing the V platen i, with removable card-positioning means thereon, and a line-spacemechanism including a ratchetwheel normally rotatablewith said'platen; a stop rotatablewith said ratchet wheel, a v normally fixed stop adaptedlor engagement by said rotatable." stop to'limitthe extent of platen "i rotation, andoreleasable means operatively con-,

necting said ratchet wheel and said rotatable stop'withsaid platen to enable the relation of said card'-po.'sitioning; meansf with said ratchet 'wheel and saidsrotatablestop to be rotatively I 'va-ried,;I said normally; fixed stop being movable tofineffective position out ofvthe path of said rotatable stop.

4. In a typewriting' -machine; having a rotatable platen having with; removable card-positioning means thereonya; shaft on which said platen is card holder 12 and by swinging the stop leverf detent I I. 1

ifixed, and a line-space-mechanism includinga ratchet wheel normally rotatable with said platen; a stop rotatable with 'said ratchet wheel,

' a, normally fixed, stop adapted'for'engagement by It will be seen from the foregoing that the in -vention provides improved platen rotation-limiting mechanism for determining both'the:-cardinserting and first line typing positions of the platen, which mechanism is adapted for accurate and rapid adjustment to first-line printing po-' cated forms on the printed cards. In the or--.

- ganization set forth, the friction clutch by which the adjustment is effected,afi'ords adjustment to, 7 any degree desired. It will also be seen that the I sition to compensate for varied or differently-loinvention provides a typewriting machine' ,which,.

notwithstanding its adaptability for. typing vof printed form cards, may be easily and quickly converted for use as a conventional typewriter.

What is claimed is: v

1. In a typewriting machine having a rotatable platenwith card-positioning means theree on, a shaft on which said platen is fixed, and a, line-space mechanism includinga ratchet wheel normally rotatable with the platen; a stop arranged to rotate with said ratchet wheel and,

adapted to cooperate with a secondstop to limit the extent of platen rotation, and releasable means operatively connecting saidratchet wheel and said rotatable stop with said platen shaft to enable the relation of said card-positioning 1 therewith in varying positions;

" 'said rotatable stop "to limit theextent of rotation v of s'aid platen, .and a-friction clutch operatively connecting said ratchet wheeland said rotatable stop with said shaft, said clutch'being releasable to allow the relation of said card-positioning means with saidratchet wheel ands/aid rotatable" stop to ,be rotatively varied, and means to disable one of's'aid stops, 3

v 5. In a typewritingmachine having a rotatable platen and a'line-space mechanism including a ratchet Wheel normallyfl rotatable with said platen; a stop rotatable with said ratchet wheel and adapted tocooperate with a counterstop to a 1 limit the extent: of 'rotation of the platen in at least one rotative direction; and meansincluding a normally engaged clutch operatively connecting saidratchet wheel and saidrotatable stop with said platen, said'clutchbeing releasable to allow said platen to berotated independently of said ratchet wheel andsaid "stop .and to be connected 6. In a typewriting machine having a rotatable platen'and a line-space mechanism including a toothed, Wheel normally rotatable with the platen; 'astop arranged to rotate in fixed relation with said toothed wheel and adapted to co- [operate witha counterstop to limit the extent of. rotation of the .platen', and releasable means operatively connecting said toothed wheel and i said rotatable stop with said platen to" enable means with said ratchet wheel and said rotatable stop to be rotatively varied to any degree.

2. In a typewriting machine having a-rotatf able platen with card-positioning means there:-

on, a shaft on which said platen is fixed, and a' line-space mechanism'including a ratchet-wheel normally rotatable with-said shaftya stop rotatable with said ratchet wheel and adapted to cooperate with a fixed stop to limit the extent of necting said ratchet wheel and said rotatable stop with said shaft, said clutch being releasableto the relation of saidplaten with said toothed I wheel and said rotatable stop to be rotatively' varied to any degree. v

7. Ina typewriting machine having a rotatable .platen with card-positioning means thereon and a line-space mechanism including a toothed wheel normally rotatable with the platen; a stop arrangedto rotate in fixed relation with said toothed wheel and adapted to cooperate with a I counterstop to limit the extent of platen rotation,

platen rotation, and a, clutch operatively coni allow the relation of said card-positioning means with said ratchet wheel and said rotatable stop= v to be rotatively varied.

and releasablemeans operatively connecting said toothed wheel and said stop with said platen to enable the relation of said card-positioning means'with said toothed wheel and said stop to be rotatively varied to any degree.

v JEssE A. SMITH. 

